Condenser system.



H. KELLER.

1 CONDENSER SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 25,1906.

1,013,178. Patented Jan.2, 1912.

Witnesses: I nvenbor,

@WW "Huldr-ei h Keller; MW y OIhkfy.

I-I'ULD REICH KELLER, F BERLIN, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR T0 GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY,

A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CONDENSER SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 2,1912.

Application filed May 25, 1906. Serial No. 318,676.

i To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HULDREIOH KELLER, a citizen of Switzerland, residing at Berlin, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Condenser Systems, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to condenser systems for elastic fluid turbines or other engines, and it relates more particularly to improvements in the auxiliary apparatus therefor and its arrangement.

The invention has for one of its objects to provide a construction whereby a better vacuum, for a given expenditure of power, can be maintained and hence the economy of the power plant as a whole increased.

A further object is to simplify and cheapen the construction and arrangement of the auxiliary apparatus so as to take up less floor space, and so that a single motor may be used for driving-two or more of the auxiliary devices together as a unit, such as the air pump and the pump connected to the hot well, or the circulating water pump, or both.

Centrifugal air pumps as ordinarily constructed cannot discharge against .a considerable head withsatisfactory results, unless the pumps are of large dimensions and driven at a high angular velocity, consuming an excessive amount of power. lso when they are employed in connection with condensers they do not operate at their full efficiency, because the air these discharge is warm and hence of relatively low density. I overcome these objections by providing a centrifugal air pump of the throwing type capable of operating efficiently and of maintaining a good vacuum, which is at the same time of comparatively small dimensions and adapted to be driven at a speed low enough to permit of its being driven with and at the speed of the water pumps of the condenser system.

Instead of the impeller wheel of the pump acting directly upon the air or other elastic fluid to be pumped, as in the usual manner, the wheel is adapted to discharge a suitable liquid, which, by reason of its weight and incompressibility, can be given a high velocity of discharge. The liquid leaves the wheel centrifugally in the shape of a substantially circular sheet and is directed through an annular converging mouththe main cooling system leading shaped passage so that the latter is caused to act on the injector principle and entrain air or other elastic fluid by suction. The impeller wheel is located in a fluid-tight casing which communicates with the source of fluid to be discharged, and the said annular passage is arranged around the periphery of the wheel and connects the wheel chamber with an annular discharge chamher that receives the liquid and entrained fluid. The injector liquid or throwing water is preferably supplied to the wheel at a low temperature, assuming the pump to be installed in a condensing system, so

that the warm air entrained with it becomes cooled and thus less rarefied. This is an important feature, as it contributes in increasing the vacuum.

If desired, the air pump may be so located with respect to the condenser that the injector liquid, which is preferably water, can be employed as an auxiliary source of cooling medium for the condenser and be discharged directly into the water space of the condenser orinto the supply pipe of thereto.

For an understanding of the details of construction and combination of parts reference is to be had to the following description, taken with the accompanying drawings and to the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates certain embodiments of the invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a condenser with the air and hot-well pumps connected thereto, the latter being shown in section; and Fig. 2 shows a modified arrangement.

Referring to the drawing, 1 represents a surface condenser, in which the exhaust enters at 2 and the cooling water enters at 3 I and leaves at 4. Adjacent one end of the condenser are the air and hot-water pumps 5 and 6, the first being arranged above the second, with the impeller wheels of both located on the sameshaft 7. The shaft is -mounted in a step bearing indicated at 8 and is driven by a suitable motor 9, the one shown being an electric motor of the wall or bracket type. 1

The impeller wheel 10 of the air pump is made after the style of a water pump wheel, the water entering at the center and leaving at its periphery. The wheel is inclosed in a casing 11 that connects by means of the conduit 12 with the condenser, preferably at the point where the air and uncondensed vapors are the coolest. Arranged around the wheel at its periphery are two outwardly converging walls 13 which form an annular mouth through which the water is d 1scharged by the wheel. The mouth com municates with the interior of the caslng, preferably along both sides 'of the wheel, so that as the water passes into and through the mouth it entrains alr from the casing.

- a cooling effect on the air entrained therewith. In order to prevent leakage where the shaft passes through the casing, suitable packings 17 are employed.

By arranging the pump 5 a suitable distance above the condenser, the water discharged thereby may be used for cooling the tract the air from the condenser.

characters.

of the air and hot well condenser, in connection with the main cooling system. For this purpose the discharge chamber of the pump is connected with the condenser by a conduit 18.

It is evident that a considerable volume of water will be necessary to properly ex- By dischargingthis into the circulating water system through the pipe 18 it follows that the water will serve a double purpose, first, extracting air from the exhaust, and second, assisting in condensing the vapor admitted to the condenser. Such an arrangement improves the economy of the apparatus as a whole.

The hot water pump 6 may be of usual construction, so that a description of. the structural features thereof is unnecessary.

In Fig. 2 a pumping set is shown, com prising a cooling water pump 19, an air pump 20, and a hot water pump 21, all coupled together on a single shaft 22 and driven by the motor 28. The air pump is of sub stantially the same construction as that shown in Fig. 1, and the corresponding parts are designated by corresponding reference In this construction the casings pumps are united by a neck or hollow extension 24 through which the shaft 22 extends. This neck holds a hearing for the shaft, as indicated at 25; It is to be noted that the neck connects the water side of the air pump with the hot water pump so as to do away with the necessity of a mechanicalpacking around the shaft, since water from either or both pumps may freely enter and fill whatever empty space It will thus be seen that .there may be in the neck and thus form a I hydraulic seal. there is no danger of air entering the air diminution in the number of packings renders the construction simple and inexpensive to manufacture, besides minimizing the tendency to leakage of air into the condenser system. 7

I11 accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes I have described the principle of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative and the invention can be carried out by other means.

WVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. The combination of a surface condenser, means for circulating cooling water through the condenser, a centrifugal pump having a casing and an impeller which discharges water outwardly through suitable means within the casing to entrain air, vapor, etc., a conduit connecting the steam space of the condenser with the pump casing so that pump will draw air, vapor, etc., from the condenser, a discharge outlet on the pump casing, and a pump connected to the lower portion of the condenser for'removing the water of condensation.

2. The combination of a surface condenser, means including a pump and conduits for circulating cooling water through the condenser, a centrifugal air pump located above the condenser, said pump having a casing and an impeller whlch discharges water out- 1 wardly through suitable means within the casing to entrain air, vapor, etc., a conduit connecting the upper portion of the condenser wit-h the pump, casing so that the pump will. draw air, vapor, etc., from the coolest region of said condenser, a conduit connecting the lower portion of the pump casing with the circulating water system of the condenser, and a centrifugal pump connected to the lower portion of the condenser for removing the water of condensation.

3. The combination of a surface condenser,

means including a pump and conduits for circulatingcooling water through the con- .denser, acentrifugal air pump having a casing and an impeller which discharges water outwardly through suitable means within the casing to entrain air, vapor, etc., a conduit connecting the upper portion of the steam space of condenser with the pump casing so that the pump will draw air, vapor, etc., from said condenser, a discharge outlet on the pump casing, a centrifugal pump connected to the lower portion of the condenser for removing the water of condensation, a shaft that is common to the impellers of the air and water. of condensation pumps, and a motor for driving the shaft.

4. The combination of a surface condenser, a pump and conduits for circulating eoolin water through the condenser, a centrifuga air pump, a casing for the pump, a conduit supplying cold water to the pump impeller to be discharged from the periphery thereof, a conduit extending between the steam space of the condenser and the casing of the pump so that as the water is discharged from the impeller through suitable means within the pump easing into the outer portion of said casing it will entrain and cool air and vapor from said steam space, a port on the upper portion of the casing through which air can escape, an outlet on the lower portion of the casing for the water from the impeller, a centrifugal pump connected with" the lower portion of the steam space of. the condenser for removing the water of condensation therefrom, and a motor that is common to and drives the pumps.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 8th day of May, 1906.

HULDREICH KELLER.

Witnesses:

FALINS RUMLAND, KARL J. BREKEBEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,-

Washington, D. O. 

